Samsung announces USB 3.0 external HDDs for consumers

Samsung has announced three new lines of consumer external HDDs: two portable and one for desktops. All of the new drives feature SuperSpeed USB 3.0, which provides data transfer rates of up to 5Gbps. The new external storage lines will be available at leading US retailers in April, with pricing to be announced at that time.

Samsung's new portable external drives offer up to 1TB capacity available in four colors: Brown black, Noble beige, Clay orange, and Mist gray. The premium portable drives also offer up to 1TB capacity, but add enhanced backup and security software: automatic and continuous data backup as well as 256-bit full disk encryption. They also have features like SecretZone, which allows users to create a secure virtual drive, and SafetyKey, software that provides encrypted data backup and password settings. A USB docking station will be sold separately for both the basic and premium line products. Last but not least, the external drives for desktop PCs offer up to 2TB capacity available in Brown black and Noble beige.

"These new external drives offer outstanding performance and style," Reid Sullivan, Samsung's senior vice president of mobile entertainment marketing, said in a statement. "With their wide range of capacities, features and price points they offer a variety of attractive choices for today’s storage-hungry consumers looking for mobile and backup solutions."